


Pages of a Consort

by MalfoysRaven



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Literature, M/M, Offerings, Rituals, Stockholm Syndrome, consort, norse gods, prisoner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:40:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26953759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalfoysRaven/pseuds/MalfoysRaven
Summary: The Dark Lord may have given Antonin a consort, but he refuses to treat him any differently than he would any other houseguest. The boy shutting himself in his room was expected, the exploration of his new home a given, what Antonin was not ready for was slowly bonding over books, realising that underneath the trim body he enjoyed is his partners, there was an intelligent young man who intrigued and challenged Antonin in a way no one ever had before. Antonin didn't know his consort was exactly who he needed thrust into his life, for quite a few reasons.
Relationships: Theodore Nott/Antonin Dolohov
Comments: 17
Kudos: 18
Collections: Knockturn Tricks or Diagon Treats





	Pages of a Consort

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [KnockturnTricksOrDiagonTreats](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/KnockturnTricksOrDiagonTreats) collection. 



> Thank you to my alpha and beta for the help you have given!
> 
> This was written for the Knockturn Tricks and Diagon Treats fest hosted by the Facebook group Death Eater Groupies. Thank you so much for hosting this fest!
> 
> My Prompt was: Treats: Rituals

Not for the first time, Antonin wondered what he got himself into when he signed on with a madman. When they were young, the tyrannical man he’d started to follow was charismatic and his fight to protect the wizarding race made sense. Now, as he sat at his desk and stared at a young, timid boy—one, Theodore Nott—whom he had been gifted, he couldn’t help but wonder if the Dark Lord’s descent into further madness was a result of his resurrection or if the man—who had definitely become more of a creature in recent months—had always been like this.

Dragging his mind away from his inner musings, he let his gaze refocus on his new ward and wondered what he could do to help the boy relax.

“You do know who I am, correct?” Watching as the boy jumped at his loud voice in the quiet room, Antonin cleared his throat before trying again, “You understand that no one can hurt you while you are in my home don’t you? And the Dark Lord has made himself quite comfortable in Malfoy Manor, there is no need to worry about him making an appearance here. You do not have to be afraid anymore.”

As if his words flipped a switch in Theodore, suddenly the fear that had been drifting behind his eyes turned to fire and a sneer crossed his lips, “what do you know? Being the Dark Lord’s second, you have nothing to fear-”

“Nothing to fear?” Antonin questioned quietly. “You have no idea the things I have had to fear in my lifetime, young man. Never assume anyone is without fear.”

He’d let his anger get the better of himself, voice rising the longer he spoke. Relaxing his arm back down that he had somehow ended up jabbing a finger in the boy’s direction with, he took a deep breath before continuing in a calmer tone, “what I meant before was that you have nothing to be afraid of within these walls. There is much to fear in the world today, but within these walls you are safe.”

Scoffing the boy replied, “safe from everything but your carnal desires, right? I know why my father gave me to the Dark Lord! I may be young but I’m not stupid, Draco told me a lot of what it means to be his consort for him. Why should I expect any different from you?”

“Because I do not force myself upon anyone, and I definitely don’t give in to any  _ carnal desires _ ,” he spat the last two words as if they’d offended him, “while the other party is underage. What the Dark Lord does is none of my business unless he gives me a direct order.”

“And what if his direct order was to rape an underage pureblood to amuse him?”

Even though he really wanted to smack the challenging look off Theodore’s face, Antonin was sure that would do nothing to help earn his trust. He would never understand why young men this age had to be so infuriating.

“The Dark Lord knows my preferences and he would never ask that of me. I have shown myself useful in so many other ways. He prefers to give those tasks to his followers who would enjoy it.”

“And the thought of that doesn’t make you sick? Knowing you are following someone who would do that to the very people he claims to be waging this war for?”

Slamming his hand down on the table, Antonin raised his voice, “enough! It does not matter what I think of his methods anymore. My life is his, until the end.”

He closed his eyes for a moment and wished he would have let Konyuk show Theodore immediately to his room and they could have had this conversation in the morning. As if his thoughts themselves summoned the elf, Konyuk apparated into the room with a small pop and a low bow as soon as he materialised, “is Master ready for me to show young Master to his room?”

“Yes, please, help him get settled and...Fuck, dinner! Konyuk, we need to prepare-”

“Don’t worry Master, dinner is already prepared. A tray is sitting under a stasis charm in young Master’s room and Caesar is waiting to bring you one once you are ready to eat.”

With a sign of satisfaction, Antonin replied, “Thank you Konyuk. Please get the young Master settled and tell Caesar I will take dinner in my room.”

***

“Young Master has still refused to come out of his room, but he has eaten most of the meals we leave for him. Would you like us to do anything more?”

Running his hands through his long hair, pushing it back off his face, Antonin let out a frustrated growl, “no, Caesar, I told him he was free to do as he pleased. As long as he isn’t starving himself or hurting himself, leave him be.”

The elf bowed to his master and popped away, leaving Antonin alone again in his office. For the last two weeks, he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of his new housemate. As soon as the young man was shown to his rooms with his belongings, he promptly shut and locked the door and hadn’t left—admittedly though, he did have a small apartment's worth of rooms at his disposal minus a kitchen. It wasn’t as if he was stuck staring at the same four walls for days on end, but Antonin still worried what this type of isolation would do to Theodore—he knew how hard it was when your life was laid out before you with no choices of your own to make.

In an attempt to pull his thoughts away from the boy—man now, really, since his seventeenth birthday was two days ago—Antonin rose from his desk and made his way down the hallway to the library, he still needed to finish the novel he started last week.

***

Reading was almost always a great way for Antonin to clear his mind from whatever was bothering him. Delving into a different world, no matter how dark or light the plot was, hardly ever failed at shuttering out reality for him—so much so that even Konyuk and Caesar could work around him and he would barely notice. But those were things he was used to going on around him, sounds that had become so familiar they were just background noise now.

Even in his own home, at his most relaxed, Antonin was always poised to react to the unknown. So when the door to the library creaked open and unfamiliar footsteps shuffled inside, the man had his wand out aimed between the shelves before he’d even looked to see who had entered his domain without permission.

Once his gaze settled on a familiar head of shaggy dark hair attached to a tall, lanky body, Antonin relaxed. He realised that Theodore hadn’t even noticed yet that the room was occupied so he took the opportunity to observe the other man while he looked around the library.

Even though it was just the two of them and the house elves in the house, Theodore still followed the pureblood ways he was raised in, much like Antonin himself. Fitted trousers and a white oxford covered the boy’s tall, lithe frame. The hint of muscles in his shoulders and thighs accentuated his narrow frame. As his eyes roamed uninhibited over the boy and a wash of heat traveled through his body, he could see why the Dark Lord had given him this ‘reward.’

The boy was of legal age now, owls having come a few days ago with what Antonin assumed was presents from friends, but that didn’t stop the guilt from washing over him as his trousers tightened uncomfortably while he watched Theodore bend over. Tight arse on display. He closed his eyes for a moment trying to will the attraction away as he resolved himself to watch at a distance.

Wordless disillusionment spell cast, Antonin continued to observe his houseguest with Theodore none the wiser.

***

After his first foray into the library, Antonin and the house elves noticed Theodore exploring every inch of the sprawling manor. He seemed to have taken the ‘free roam’ offer to heart now that he started adventuring out of his room, leaving no inch unexplored in his wanderings. 

The few times they would cross paths in the hall, Antonin didn’t miss how tense the boy became as soon as his presence was noticed. He started to keep to his office, bedroom, or the library when he knew the boy would be wandering. Each night before going back to his room, Theodore would go to the library and read for at least an hour. Many of those nights Antonin disillusioned himself and sat in his favorite chair and watched as the boy devoured book after book from his collection. 

Watching the emotions that rolled across the young man’s face—he really did need to quit thinking of him as a boy, the wizarding world considered him a man at this age—Antonin was hit with the realisation that he wanted to know what the other man thought of his books. There weren’t many people he could converse with on an intellectual level and an ache of loneliness rocked him to his core. 

Tearing his gaze away from the riveting young man on the other side of the library, Antonin strode from the room. Even though he was still disillusioned, he must have made some subtle noise because before he reached the door there was a small clearing of a throat before a strong voice rang out.

“Who’s there?”

Antonin froze, eyes wide. Unsure what to do, he stayed silent with the hope Theodore would go back to reading without investigating further. No such luck.

“I know I didn’t imagine that noise, now show yourself before I will ask Caesar to get Dolohov.”

At the sound of his family name rolling off the young man’s tongue with such bravado, Antonin made a hasty decision and dropped the disillusionment. He was close enough to watch Theodore’s Adam's apple bob with nerves and his eyes go wide in shock. 

“Oh, I’m very sorry, Sir. Of course, you have every right to sneak around your house however you’d like.”

The blush that traveled over the young man’s cheeks as he stammered an apology shouldn’t have been funny. Really, it shouldn’t. But suddenly Antonin found a chuckle bubble out at the absurdity of his housemate telling him he could sneak around his own house. Maybe it was the stress he had been under, maybe it was the shock of his epiphany along with being heard finally.

Whatever the reason, Antonin gave in to the laughter. Small chuckle turning into a big booming laugh, something he felt he hadn’t done in a long time—the state of everything being so serious there were no reasons to laugh. It took him a minute to hear the chuckles in front of him, as he looked up with tears trickling down the corner of his eye, he watched as Theodore’s face split into a radiant grin as he joined in on the insanity with his own surprised laughter.

After a few minutes, Antonin was finally able to calm himself down enough to apologise.

“I will leave you to your book, forgive me for intruding.”

Only making it a few steps closer to the door this time, the young man spoke up in a quiet tenor, “don’t leave on my behalf. There is plenty of room for us both to read in here.”

After that, they read together for at least an hour every night, though Antonin made sure Theodore was settled before he entered, chose his book, and sat on the opposite side of the room. It was enough that Theodore was comfortable in the same room as him, he wouldn’t push for more.

Every time his mind wandered to his houseguest, he tried not to wonder what the young man was doing on nights he was alone—meetings or errands for the Dark Lord would wait for no man—but Konyuk was a vigilant elf and didn’t even have to be told to keep a close eye on who he’d dubbed young Master as soon as the young man walked into their home. There was always a small report given once Antonin returned home, no matter how late it was or how long he had been away.

***

Landing wrong as he apparated just outside the ward line, Antonin crumpled into a heap when his left leg gave out. Gritting his teeth, he maneuvered onto his property, calling for Caesar as the feeling of the wards washed over him.

“Master, we told you-be careful. Instead you come home like this. Well come, come.”

The disappointed tone in the elf’s voice didn’t hide the worry Antonin saw in his gaze when their eyes met. Before he could say anything to reassure the creature, they disapparated and reappeared in his bedroom.

He attempted to take his robes and mask off, but Konyuk quickly clucked his tongue at him and with a snap of the elf’s fingers, they vanished. Another snap of the long delicate appendages left Antonin in nothing but his pants. With nothing to hide the long gash that spanned from the middle of his thigh to his calf, the man watched as his blood slowly pulsed out of the wound. 

A blur of orders were spoken between his two elves and before he knew what was going on, he found himself cleaned up, potions poured down his mouth, wound wrapped, and being ushered underneath the blankets on his large bed. This wasn’t his plan, he was supposed to make it home in time to read in the library with Theodore. He had already been gone three nights, and now he would be missing for one more.

***

One moment Antonin was lounging on the couch in the library with Theodore leaning into him reading an excerpt from one of Antonin’s favorite books,  _ The Picture of Dorian Gray. _ In the next moment, a throbbing pain in his leg jerked him awake and his eyes opened to the view of his bedroom ceiling.

With a defeated groan, memories of the night before flashed through his mind. Trying to rush home, a stray curse sending shards of plaster towards him. Excruciating pain in his leg as he threw his own curses back at his assailants so he could get away.

He pushed himself into a sitting position gingerly, the potions Konyuk poured down his throat last night helped start the healing process but his leg was still sore and the wound, a bright angry red. The latter he noticed as he threw the bedsheets back and slowly stood, starting his short trek to the bathroom to relieve his bladder.

A few moments of struggle later and Antonin finally noticed the potions left by one of his elves on the bathroom counter. After quickly upending the pain and blood-replenishing vials down his throat, he decided to leave the others for later.

Morning routine completed, he hobbled back to bed and released a groan as his body finally relaxed again. His leg was still slightly throbbing, but as long as he wasn’t standing on it, the pain was bearable.

The thought to call Konyuk and ask for some food crossed his mind right before a light knock rang through his otherwise silent room. Antonin didn’t dare hope he knew who was behind his door, though he couldn’t be sure who else it would be since the elves would just pop in and they wouldn’t have let anyone in without informing him first.

After clearing his throat, he beckoned whoever it was to enter. Even after knowing that, logically there really could be no one else behind that door, he was still surprised to find a very nervous looking Theodore revealed.

“Err...The umm, Caesar told me that you made it home last night. But when I asked if you were around he said you probably wouldn’t feel up to leaving your room for a little while.”

Thanks to the pain potions, Antonin struggled to come up with a response to the young man still standing in the hallway. Before he could muster up any type of reaction, Theodore pulled his arm from behind his back, the book Antonin had started before he left gripped tightly in his hand. 

“I will just leave this…” Theodore’s brow furrowed as he glanced between the table by the door and the bed, “would you like me to bring this in to you? I thought you might like to read while you rest.”

“You brought my book?” Antonin couldn’t mask the shock in his voice, furrowing his own brown he willed his brain to process thoughts quicker. “Why?”

Glancing up in time, he watched a faint blush spread across Theodore’s cheeks and nose, his reply mumbled into his shoes, “I wasn’t sure if you had anything to entertain yourself and thought that, even though you won’t be visiting the library, you might still like to read.”

The mumbled confession surprised Antonin in its thoughtfulness, no one but Konyuk and Caesar ever really thought about him outside of his usefulness to them. Yet, here was this young man who had been thrust into a situation far outside of his control, trying to make sure Antonin was entertained while he was laid up in bed.

If anyone had asked about the smile that spread across his face as he beckoned the young man into his room, he would blame it on the pain potions making him loopy. It absolutely had nothing to do with the thought of someone caring about his well being, even if it was just to make sure he wasn’t bored. 

Theodore seemed to find something so interesting in the wood grain of his bedroom floor even though it was just cherrywood. It wasn’t until he reached the side of the bed, cheeks bright red at this point, that Antonin realised he was still in nothing but his pants with the bedspread barely draped over his lap. He knew the tattoos that covered almost every inch of his body surprised most people. It wasn’t every day you saw that much dark ink flowing over someone’s skin.

When Antonin reached out to take the proffered book, a spark bounced through his system as their fingers brushed. At the same time, timid, hazel eyes locked onto hazy, blue-grey and a small smile slid across the younger man’s face. 

“Have you read much Lovecraft?”

“I only recently started on his novels.  _ The Call of Cthulhu _ is the only other one I have read. This is the second one I picked up.” Antonin wanted to ask Theodore about his favorite book. Or maybe his favorite author. Instead he settled on, “have you read this one?”

Even though he knew the other man knew the title, he still turned  _ The Shadow Over Innsmouth _ towards him. 

Shaking his head slowly he replied, “I’ve never gotten into horror much. Too much of that in my real life.”

With a self-depreciating smirk, Antonin replied, “that is actually why I always loved it. It was my escape from my own horror. Reading about someone who might just have it worse than myself, even if it was just fictional, helped me tolerate the things I had to deal with.”

Theodore’s lips tugged down in a small frown as he seemed to think over what Antonin had said. There was a tick in his cheek as if he were chewing on the inside of his lip, he cocked his head and met Antonin’s gaze again before finally speaking again.

“That makes sense. It is why I love my detective and mystery novels. Trying to figure out the whodunnit helps take my mind off of, well, basically everything.”

Their gazes held for a few more heartbeats before Theodore broke it again, glancing down at Antonin’s chest once more before bouncing away and landing on his shoes again.

“Erm, so, I guess I will just head out.”

“Who’s your favourite author?”

Both sentences spoken at the same time, the former rushed as if he couldn’t get it out quick enough, the latter slow as if unsure if the question should even come out.

“What!? No!”

Theodore took a step back, eyes going wide. Trying to reign in the sudden pang of loneliness that flared, Antonin cleared his throat and started again.

“You don’t have to leave. You were right, there isn’t much to entertain myself in here and I didn’t have anyone to converse with while I was away. If you’d like, I wouldn’t mind the company.”

The way Theodore opened and closed his mouth repeatedly had the corner of Antonin’s mouth twitching in a barely repressed smile. When the young man nodded his head, the smile broke free and spread across his face as he transfigured a chair for his visitor.

“Agatha Christie is one of my favourite authors.” He replied to the earlier question while taking a seat. “I’ve read most of her books multiple times. I found your Ian Rankin novels, they have been really good so far.”

“Mmm, he is a good author. An ex got the first book of Ian Rankin’s for me, and even though he and I split, I am thankful to him for introducing me to that author.”

“Wait, you...I mean to say, you’re...umm,”

In an effort to make it easy on the young man, Antonin answered his incomplete stuttering, “yes, I date other men.”

“What about an heir? Father said homosexuality was an abomination that needed stamped out to protect the sanctity of our pureblood.”

With a dark laugh, the older man replied, “I am quite aware of your father’s thoughts on homosexuality. He loved to spew them in my face when we were younger, until I cursed him to good he had to spend a week in the hospital wing.”

Antonin took a moment to observe the man before him, realising what he probably should have known for some time based on some of the comments made from Nott Senior during meetings with the Dark Lord.

He made sure the hazel eyes held his own when he asked, “you do know there are magical ways for two men or two women to have a child of their own? It is one of the reasons witches and wizards didn’t die out centuries ago.”

The sharp intake of breath was the only sign of shock the brunet gave to Antonin’s revelation for a few beats. Before he knew what was happening, spots of bright red colored the apples of Theodore’s cheeks and with all the indignation he could muster, it seemed, he replied, “and why do you think I care to know this?”

Lifting a shoulder and letting it fall as if he didn’t have a care in the world, Antonin answered, “just figured I would add a history lesson I am sure your father would hate to know you learned.”

This explanation seemed to pacify the young man though he stayed tense through the rest of the conversation. Though he didn’t really want to let the other go, Antonin finally made excuses about being tired so he wouldn’t feel like he was obligated to stay. 

It seemed this was all the lanky man had been waiting for as he shot to his feet, hands clasped in front of him and mumbled something about needing to find some dinner anyway.

As he watched the retreating back, he felt like he needed to say something else. Something to try and dissipate the tension that had sprung between them. 

“Feel free to come back tomorrow if you feel like keeping me company again. We can just read if you’d prefer.”

A lopsided smile appeared as Theodore turned to glance back at him for a moment on the threshold of the room. Without a word, he disappeared through the entryway and pulled the door closed behind him.

Restless now and unsure if he’d made any headway in making the man more comfortable around him—though it didn’t really seem as if he had—Antonin took the dreamless sleep potion that he brought in from the bathroom with him. It would be better if he rested instead of sitting up for hours going over each reaction during his encounter with his housemate.

***

For the next three nights, Theodore came and spent a few hours with Antonin. He would bring his own book and sit in the armchair that had been transfigured the first night—one that the older man just hadn’t taken the time to transfigure back—and after reading for a time, he would ask questions.

They started out quite innocent. First book he remembered reading. Favorite author when he was Theodore’s age—no Theo, he told Antonin to call him Theo. It didn’t take long for his questioning to turn further from the subject of literature. Venturing into favourite foods and debating the merits of certain quidditch teams. Sometimes a faint blush would stain his cheeks when he opened his mouth, but he would promptly shut it without asking anything and burying his nose back in his book.

Tonight was going to be a bit different though, and Antonin was already running late. Last night, before Theo left for the evening, he plucked up the courage and asked the younger man if he would like to join him for dinner instead of coming by afterwards. To his surprise, Theo’s eyes lit up and he quickly agreed. With another blush staining his cheeks, he promised to arrive at their agreed time and tripped on his way out of the door.

Even the memory still caused Antonin to chuckle. With a fond smile, he rushed into his bedroom to grab some fresh clothes, praying to any of the gods that were listening to give him enough time to hop in the shower.

Filled with nervous energy, he decided to work out some of it with the weights he keeps on the small balcony off his bedroom. It felt good getting back into a routine, working his muscles out and stretching his healing leg again. He must have zoned out because the next thing he knew, Konyuk popped in front on him to announce that dinner was almost ready.

Before he could even make it to his dresser there was a knock on the door. With a disgruntled look at the ceiling—obviously none of the gods had been listening tonight—he took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Sorry, I’m…” The rest of his sentence hung in the air as he stared at Theo, barely even noticing when the younger man’s jaw dropped at his near naked state. Crisp olive green oxford fit his trim body perfectly and was tucked into a pair of tailored charcoal trousers that hugged Theo’s lightly sculpted legs in a way that made it hard for Antonin to tear his eyes away.

When he did, raising his gaze to try and capture the other man’s only to see him wide eyed, face bright red, sight seeming glued to the ink that disappeared into his very low hanging joggers.

When Theo’s eyes finally met his, Antonin could see his cheeks turn an even deeper shade of red. 

“Just how much of you is covered in tattoos?”

Lifting his right shoulder, Antonin replied, “basically all of me,” feeling bold at the way Theo’s pupils dilated at his answer he tacked on, “though I’m not  _ ballsy _ enough to get certain parts done, yet.”

The sound that Theo made stroked Antonin’s ego, as if he tried to bite off a groan and choked on it. A slow grin slid across the older man’s face as he filed away the fact that his houseguest seemed to enjoy his tattoos.

“Don’t just stand there, come on in.” Holding the door open, he stepped back to allow the brunet inside as he continued, “I’m just going to hop in the shower, I’m running a bit later than planned, but Konyuk should be popping in with dinner soon.”

A very quick, cold shower later, Antonin was piling his hair in a top knot while he inspected his attire for any malfunctions. The silver grey button-up and black trousers fit him well, and the color brought out his eyes. Nodding at his reflection, he turned towards the bedroom door just as Konyuk started to speak to Theo.

“...yes, Master has seemed much happier since young Master entered the house and started spending time with him.”

He slowed his steps as he neared the door and their conversation drifted through the small opening. Unsure when he door had been cracked open, or if he had even fully shut it when he entered the room, he focused on the words coming out of his houseguest’s mouth.

“It..yes, it's been a pleasure to get to know him. He...he is nothing like I expected.”

The small titter of Konyuk’s laugh flowed through the air as he replied, “yes, Master loves to act intimidating—and he can be when needed—but he is more of a softy than he usually lets anyone but us elves see.”

A small pause and then much quieter, the elf’s voice drifted past again, Antonin moving closer to the gap in the door as he tried to hear better, “if I can give brutal honesty, we think you are good for Master. He lets young Master care for him more than he ever lets us do when he is hurt. Yes, definitely good for him.”

His breath caught in his throat when he heard those words uttered from Konyuk. He let the elves take care of him plenty. They had doted on him since he was a young boy. So what if there had been a few times when he had let Theo help him back in bed, or hobble into the bathroom—though the boy hightailed it out of there as soon as they’d reached Antonin’s destination. 

Maybe he had let the other man do more than he’d let the house elves do for him in years. 

Before the conversation could reveal something else Antonin hadn’t thought of yet, he pulled the door open and strode into his room, “dinner smells delicious Konyuk. I hope I didn’t keep you both waiting long.”

“I just finished serving, Master, no worries at all for the wait and I am sure young Master would agree.”

***

Over the next three months, Antonin and Theo spent the majority of their time together. Each night spent in the library after they ate dinner together, their days were spent wandering the lands that surrounded Dolohov manor. 

After he learned that Theo had never ridden a horse before, Antonin started taking him for a ride each morning. The young man quickly fell in love with riding, the joy on his face always present as soon as they entered the barn and Opal would nuzzle into his hand.

Both Lipizzan horses Antonin owned were quite smitten with Theo, though it didn’t hurt that he always made sure to have treats for both of them when they came to visit. A loud whinny sounded to their left, Stryker was getting anxious for his turn to nuzzle Theo and nibble the carrots he’d brought today.

After both horses had received their customary pats and treats, Theo and Antonin saddled them up and started a brisk trot down the trail that led to the small creek behind the manor.

Enamoured as he was watching Theo enjoy himself, Antonin couldn’t seem to react fast enough when Opal took off seconds after something in the underbrush spooked her. He wanted to find whatever on his lands scared his unflappable horse, but he knew he needed to calm her down and help Theo. The poor bloke had never ridden faster than a trot and Antonin was pushing Stryker to his limits trying to gain ground on them.

Finally the sounds of Theo trying to calm Opal down reached his ears above the sounds of hooves pounding the ground, the terror clear in his voice but still he tried to speak soothingly to the frightened mare.

Through the clearing in the trees, Antonin saw the mare slowing down as she neared the creek, still shaking her head and snorting in agitation as Theo continued to try and calm her down. Slowing Stryker’s forward momentum just a tiny bit, it didn’t take him long to reach the two. Promptly hopping off his stallion, his long strides brought him next to Opal.

After murmuring reassurances and praise to the mare, she finally calmed down enough for Antonin to help Theo down. He could feel the tremors still racking his thin frame. Without thinking twice about his actions, he pulled the man into his arms and held him tight while muttering much the same as what he did to Opal.

It wasn’t long before the tremors stopped and Theo’s body relaxed for a few moments before he tensed up again and dropped his hands from where they had been gripping Antonin’s shirt.

After clearing his throat, Theo stepped out of Antonin’s arms looking anywhere but at the man in front of him, “erm, thanks. That was quite…”

“Terrifying?” Antonin tried to help supply when Theo seemed to be at a loss for words.

“Exhilarating.” The young man finally finished at the same time, finally looking Antonin in the eye.

Antonin’s loud, booming laughter rang out and echoed throughout the little valley they were in. “Sounds like you are an untapped adrenaline junky. My kind of man.”

Watching as the color on Theo’s cheeks darkened and trailed further down his neck, Antonin wondered just how low the alluring shade of pink dipped underneath his shirt collar.

Shaking his head, he tried to redirect his thoughts. It didn’t matter if his attraction to Theo deepened every time he saw the young man. What made it worse was the fact that he wasn’t just a sexy body, he was intelligent, witty, and Antonin had some of the most intriguing conversations with him. He realised this young man was everything he had been looking for in a partner and always fell short of finding.

The problem with this realisation was Theo’s non-returned feelings. Everytime Antonin tried to suss out the other man’s feelings he would clam up and change the subject. That didn’t stop him from continuing to flirt. He would never force himself upon the man but until he explicitly told him to stop, Antonin was going to enjoy making the man blush.

“Come on, let's give the horses a rest for now. They will be just fine down here. There is something up this trail I want to show you.”

Immediately, a glint of intrigue flashed through Theo’s eyes as he replied, “lead the way then.”

Up a small incline and into a grove of oak trees, Antonin led Theo to a place he had never brought another soul before. He heard the young man’s intake of breath as they walked through the tree line into the clearing, a swelling of pride filling his chest.

“This is my family’s ritual circle. It has been part of the Dolohov line for generations.”

“The power within this land is immense. It was like a punch to the gut when we crossed into it.”

With a chuckle, Antonin replied, “I said much the same to my grandfather when he first brought me here.”

Theo reverently walked around the outermost ring, inspecting each stone before moving on to the next in-line but making sure to never step within the circle. Respect oozed out of every move the young man made.

At the head of the circle, he stopped and bent so low to inspect the markings on the largest stone his nose almost touched the material.

“How long ago were these etched?” He asked without moving, as if the stone itself would give him the answer.

Antonin waited until he straightened a little and glanced back towards him before answering with a shrug, “since before my grandfather’s grandfather. Family legend tells it was here just as it looks today, when the Vikings ruled this part of Scotland.”

“And so who is etched into the stone? I don’t recognise them.”

Walking up to the stone and standing next to Theo, Antonin reverently swiped his hand across the depictions of the two patron gods his family had worshiped for many generations. A jolt of electricity prickled up his arm at the contact, it had been too long since he’d given tribute to his patron gods.

“These are Odin’s brothers, Vili and Ve.”

Lifting his eyes from the stone, he watched as Theo scrunched his nose before cocking his head to the side and slowly replying, “aren’t they the two who helped him create the universe?”

“Yes, exactly. They are not as well known as some of the other Norse gods, but my family has a long history with the two.”

Theo reached out as if to run his hand over the likeness of the gods, pulling back at the last second as if he would burn him. 

“Go on, if it were going to bite, it would bite me.”

His joke fell a little flat when Theo whipped his head around, rounded hazel eyes boring into his. With a small chuckle, Antonin held his hand out for Theo’s. After a moment of nerves while the younger man looked at his proffered hand, he breathed a sigh of relief when a much smaller hand was placed in his allowing him to guide it to the stone without hesitation.

Once he’d pressed Theo’s hand flat to the space between both gods, Antonin removed his own hand, careful not to brush the stone himself again.

“It feels so sad,” Theo whispered. His chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath before looking up at Antonin with watery eyes. “Why does stone feel so sad?”

He couldn’t keep that sad, steady gaze. It was worse than his mother’s when he was a young boy and she was disappointed in something he’d done. The urge to tell this young man the truth of how he’d disappointed his gods was strong. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but he did know that now wasn’t the time to get into that sad tale.

Instead he dropped his gaze and had to clear his throat and try again as the half-truth got stuck, “it has been too long since my last ritual and I must rectify that soon.”

Pulling his head back up, Antonin deliberately avoided Theo’s gaze to look down the path they came from before changing the subject, “the horses have probably had a long enough rest. I’m sure it will be close to lunch by the time we get back to the house.”

“Oh, uhh.. sure.” Came the surprised reply.

Without waiting for any more response, he led the way back down the path and quickly remounted Stryker as Theo found his seat on Opal. The journey home was a quiet one and Antonin was too lost in his own thoughts to notice anything about Theo other than him following the path home as well.

Why had he taken Theo there? It had been years since Antonin had even stepped foot upon the sacred land. He knew the house elves made sure to maintain the area, but after turning his back on their answer to his last question, Antonin did his best to not even think about his patron gods—which had not been easy when they had been incorporated into almost every part of his life.

Once they reached the stable, Caesar was waiting just inside with a letter and popped away as soon as it was handed over. After reading over the summons, he looked over at Theo giving Opal extra pats and carrots and he felt a pang of regret about how their day would be ending. He wanted to cut through the tension that had formed between the two of them during their ride back to the house but that would have to wait, it seemed.

Theo caught his eye and must have read the apology in his gaze, “you won’t be making dinner tonight?”

“No, I have to get changed and leave, I will be gone for a while.”

Rubbing his hand down Opal’s forehead one last time, he made his way out of the stable as Antonin watched his progress from his spot near the doors. When the young man came level with him, he stopped, worried hazel gaze meeting blue-grey. They stared at each other a moment before Theo leaned in, his soft lips grazing Antonin’s cheek.

The whispered, “be careful,” sent a shiver down his spine. Unable to find his voice, all he could do was nod in reply and watch as the other man made his way up to the house.

***

When Antonin returned home the next evening, he found Theo already in the library with an array of books surrounding him. The sight warmed him more than he was expecting.

“You know you don’t have to read every book in the library at once,” he joked once he began to feel like a creeper staring at the young man.

At the sound of his voice, Theo’s head shot up, a wide grin spreading across his face at the same time. 

“Oh, no, well...this is research.”

The young man replied, a light blush traveling across the bridge of his nose. Antonin didn’t know what it was about that color, but he loved making it appear on Theo’s face. It seemed to be easier and easier with each passing day.

“And what are you researching?”

“I was hoping to be further along before you caught me honestly, but, well, I am researching how best for you to reconnect with your patron gods. The stone felt so sad, and your own sadness was reflected into it before you pulled your hand away from mine yesterday. I just.. wanted to help after how kind you’ve been to me.”

A flash of anger swirled through him like a whirlwind at Theo’s first sentence, but as he continued with his explanation, Antonin was unable to hold on to the feeling as a wave of gratitude doused any anger he was feeling. Even if this young man didn’t know the whole story, he knew something was wrong and wanted to fix it.

“I think I’ve got something, but if you are going to do it then we need to figure this out because the New Moon is coming up in a few days and either that or the Waxing Crescent will be the best moons to perform this ritual under, though I think the New Moon is the best choice. It is the best moon to set your intentions and give yourself a fresh start with.”

Surprised there had already been this much thought put into it, Antonin halted the other’s ramblings, “I don’t think I will appease my gods with a New Moon ritual. You don’t understand how badly I turned my back on them, I don’t think I will ever come back into their favour in this lifetime and since I am the last of my line, our patronage to them will die with me.”

“But you can’t want that!” Theo cried.

“It doesn’t matter what I want Theo, all that matters is living with the consequences of choices I made when I was young and naive.”

The two men stared at each other for a long moment, one set of wide hazel eyes, imploring the other to make a different decision as they stared into a resigned pair of blue-grey eyes.

“Just drop it, please.”

The quiet, dejected tone Antonin used was the exact opposite of Theo’s loud, irate response. “How can I drop it when I know what will happen if you don’t come back to them? They showed me…”

Abruptly the young man snapped his mouth shut and started gathering his papers that were scattered across the table.

“I’m not going to stop researching until I find the best way for you to start to ask for forgiveness. I may not know the whole story, but when we were out there in your ritual circle, they showed me enough to know that you can't keep your back turned on them forever unless you want your life cut shorter than it needs to be. You may not care, but I’m not willing to let that happen.”

The last part said so quietly, Antoin almost thought he imagined it. When the other man brushed by him, a familiar shock prickled across his bicep at the contact. Though he wasn’t sure exactly why he deserved any of this, he had a feeling his gods were speaking through Theo to him. And it was about time he started listening to them again.

***

For the first time since the young man started staying in the manor, Antonin went and knocked on the door to Theo’s bedroom. He always tried to respect the other’s privacy and assumed that if he was in his room, he was subconsciously placing a large sign up that read ‘Do Not Disturb.’

This time, he strode right up to the door and knocked—with probably a little more force than necessary.

Instead of Theo coming to answer the door, Caesar winked into existence next to Antonin with a hand on his hip and the other pointing an accusing finger at him, “don’t you come yelling at young Master when he’s doing nothing but trying to help you! You can be so mean and oblivious sometimes Master.”

As if to pound his point in further, Caesar stamped his foot at the end and looked up at Antonin with more vitriol than he had ever seen in the young elf.

“You’re right, okay? He’s right! Everyone is bloody well right, except for me, alright? Is that what you want to hear?” Rubbing his hands across his face, Antonin paced away from the elf for a moment before turning around and pacing right back, looking him right in the eye, “I’m not going to yell at him Caesar. But if he is going to help me find a way to beg forgiveness from Vili and Ve, then he is going to need to know the entire story, don’t you think?”

A long assessing glare later, and the elf gave a curt nod while snapping his fingers once and the bedroom door clicked open, “I will be listening, Master. No yelling.”

And with that he popped away, presumably to listen in without being seen.

After taking a deep centering breath, Antonin pushed his way into the room to be greeted with the vision of Theo in the middle of his large bed, books and papers surrounding him. 

“I should have known Caesar would let you in even after he said he wouldn’t.” Theo snorted derisively.

“Don’t worry, he basically made me promise there would be no yelling. I’m not going to tell you to stop your research and I can’t even tell you how much it means that you are willing to do something like this for me. But if you insist on following this path, then you should know all of it and make your decision whether I deserve to be reunited with my gods or not.”

Theo raised an eyebrow but otherwise gave no response.

After a deep breath, Antonin motioned to the bed, “do you mind if I join you? It is a bit of a long tale.”

Still saying nothing, Theo inclined his head which the older man took to be permission and crossed the room to sit on the closest corner of the bed which was also the farthest from Theo.

“From the time I was old enough to understand, I was introduced to our family’s patron gods. My grandfather said I was special to them, had been gifted more than any other in our family. I was devout in my worship of them. That is, until my mother died and my father not long after. They were my only family left and they had gotten lost in a bad part of Muggle London while I was in my fourth year at Hogwarts. I’m still not sure how it happened or why they were there, but some muggle killed them for the jewelry my mother wore.

“That was the first time I yelled at my gods. I had begged them to bring my parents back to me when I was given leave to come home and take care of my parents affairs. Becoming Lord of the Manor at fourteen years old was terrifying, but Konyuk and Caesar have been with me every step of the way thankfully.”

Thinking back, Antonin wished that was the worst of his transgressions. The memory of his last ritual flashed through his mind. The Waxing Gibbous almost ready to give into the full moon, the rain pounding into the ground around Antonin. 

~~

_ “It is time for me to make a decision. He has asked me to pledge my loyalty to him, calling himself the Dark Lord. I ask for your blessing as I set my intention to accept his mark. He will help me get revenge on the muggles who murdered my parents. On all muggles who are just as evil.” _

_ As the cold rain continued to pour, Antonin knew the silence was his answer, just as it had been with every ritual he had performed for the last year. His gods had turned their backs on him. Why couldn’t they see this was the right path?  _

_ “Fine! Don’t give me your blessings. I never needed them anyway!” _

_ ~~ _

As Antonin finished telling Theo his tale, he could barely bring himself to look the other man in the eye. He had been ashamed of his decision for years, when the Dark Lord was presumed dead he thought to try and make his actions up to his gods but the sight of the Dark Mark marring his arm stopped him every time.

He hadn’t entered the ritual circle since he’d let his new Master brand him. He wasn’t sure how his gods would react to the mark and he could not admit that he was scared to find out.

“Merlin, you really fucked up.” Theo said, not mincing his assessment of the situation.

Head whipping around as his jaw dropped, Antonin could not believe just how blunt the usually shy and timid man was just now.

“You do understand that the silence you mistook for your gods turning their back was actually their answer to you being such a dumbarse? You’d actually appealed to your gods to try and get them to back you following a murderous madman?

“Look, I get wanting to avenge your parents deaths, but taking your anger out on Muggles as a whole was never the way to do it.”

Before he could continue, Antonin cut in, “I know that now. I was young, stupid, and thought I knew everything. I was lonely. I thought I’d found kindred spirits only to realise most of the men I’d become associated with had much darker desires than I first assumed.”

Clapping his hands together, Theo shocked Antonin and he loudly announced, “well, let’s get to work. I still think the New Moon will be the best time for this ritual and I would rather not need to wait until next month, so we have five day to get this worked out.”

“You’re still willing to help me?”

“Antonin, everyone deserves a chance to right their wrongs. Trust me, your gods would love to have you back just as much as you want them back in your life.”

There was a knowing glint in the young man’s eye that reminded Antonin of something he’d said in the library.

“You said they showed you something. What was it?”

“Oh, that, yes…” Theo’s gaze danced around the room as he seemed to stall, “I’m not supposed to tell you. Not yet at least.”

Finally, the intensity of his gaze landed on Antonin, “just trust me to help you with this? You have been everything wonderful that I didn’t expect from this experience. Let me help you in one of the small ways I can.”

“So where shall we begin?”

***

Theo's POV

Three days of intense research later and Theo was almost positive the ritual he had put together was the best possible route they could go. As he checked over the notes again, he could see Antonin pacing in front of the fireplace. The closer the New Moon came, the more agitated the older man seemed. 

Mesmerised by the way his muscles flexed with each movement, it took Theo a moment to realise he was staring and another to finally shake himself out of the improper thoughts that were circling through his mind—thoughts of just how those muscles would feel wrapped around him, the desire to taste each inch of ink that covered his partner’s body increasing every day.

Clearing his throat to ground himself and also catch Antonin’s attention, Theo held up the Grimoire that now held their ritual once their gazes met, “everything seems ready. Now we just need to acquire the ingredients and prepare the ritual space.”

In the smallest voice Theo had heard come from the intimidating man, he replied, “do you really believe this will work? I’ve.. I’ve ignored them for so long. What right do I have to ask for forgiveness?”

When he first saw this man standing just behind the Dark Lord the day his father handed him over to appease his Master, Theo never could have imagined in his wildest dreams that he would be here with this man, assuring him that he was a good person and deserved the love of his gods, if only he could come out from behind his pride and admit his wrongs. Antonin had become lost along his life path and Vili and Ve had been yearning for him to come back to them, but he deafened himself to their cries. He had let revenge and grief turn him into something he never would have been otherwise.

This man who could have done anything he wanted to Theo—abuse, neglect, and so many other possibilities that other concorts had to go through—yet, he had been nothing but kind and respectful. There were nights when Theo could see the heat of desire flash through Antonin’s eyes as his eyes roved over Theo’s body, but never once had he been inappropriate. Even after Theo had come to want the man to make a move, he was still ever the gentleman always falling back to what he’d told Theo that first evening he came to stay in this house. 

_ “..- I do not force myself upon anyone -..” _

If only courage was a trait he possessed, instead he was a quiet book nerd. So even if he couldn’t tell Antonin how he felt, or physically show him, this ritual was the best way for Theo to give Antonin an idea of the gratitude he has for him. And maybe, just maybe, if this works out, Theo can pluck up enough courage to really kiss the man after the ritual.

Knowing he had been silent for far too long, Theo tried to give Antonin a reassuring smile, “everyone has a right to ask for forgiveness. And if you truly do mean everything we’ve put into this ritual, then I don’t see how you could fail.”

A single nod was the only acknowledgement Theo got from Antonin, but really, there was nothing more that could be said on the subject. They had gone over everything multiple times over the last three days, rewritten the ritual with different herbs and runes and finally, after too much black tea and not enough hours of sleep Vili and Ve whispered into Theo’s ear that it was perfect.

From the moment Theo’s hand touched the stone that was the head of the Dolohov ritual circle, their patron gods spoke to him. They told him of their special one, the one who had been closer to then than any other in recent centuries. They showed him their heartbreak as they watched him choose a path of evil and hatred. And right before he pulled his hand away from the horrors he felt, they showed him the spark of hope that flared brighter than it had in years when he entered the man’s home. 

The connection wasn’t severed though, when Theo lifted his hand from the depiction of the gods. No, they were still showing him the connections that connected, not only Antonin with his gods, but also Theo’s connection to them, and also to Antonin himself. 

Even though Theo was young, he remembered the lessons his mother taught him, The stories of her own visitors, her own interactions with the deities that can be found all around this world. He knew he came from a long line of powerful clairvoyants thanks to her, but he did everything he could to squash his gifts while he was living with his father for fear he would be used much the same way she was.

He didn’t think Antonin would try to do the same things his father did to his mother, but he was still hesitant to admit the true reason he knew this ritual would work as long as Antonin’s intentions were truly pure.

***

Theo's POV

The night of the ritual was a clear, dark night. The stars, the only thing lighting the sky as the New Moon hid behind the sun. Even though Theo knew each step to the ritual, he wasn’t expecting Antonin to ask him to take part as witness. 

On their walk to the circle, Theo felt as the man at his side finally let the tension that had been building melt away. As they came to the large stone that marks the head of the circle, Antonin removed his robe and exposed himself to Theo and the elements with little modesty. 

Even though he knew he would be anointing this man’s body with their special blend of oils for this ritual, actually being confronted with his muscled, tattooed, very naked body was a completely different scenario.

Taking a moment to center himself first, Theo slowly picked up the jar that held the oils and dipped two fingers inside the warm mixture.

Bringing his dripping fingers up, he swiped the oil across his forehead and cheeks while saying, “With these cloves we invoke courage and protection.”

After loading up again he trailed his fingers down Antonin’s neck and over his left shoulder, down the arm to his wrist while he said, “With the cypress we ask for a blessing and consecrate our intentions on this night.”

Repeating the gesture on his right side, Theo invoked, “Using the cedarwood we ask that our spirituality be enhanced so that we may connect at every level possible.”

As he wiped a straight line first down Antonin’s back, and then down the planes of his chest and abdomen, Theo intoned, “With the juniper we ask the moon to shine her blessings upon us tonight, help us in the fresh start we are searching for, and purify and protect us as we heal from a past of wrong decisions and try to look to the future to be better.”

He knelt down in front of Antonin, trying to keep his eyes away from the large, half-erect penis that seemed to be the only non-tattooed area on the man as he continued his part of the ritual and wiped a line of oil down both thighs as he finished his prayer, “With the sandalwood we invoke more healing and ask that you strengthen our spirits as we travel along this journey together tonight.”

When Theo was done, Antonin took the jar of oil from him, ready to give him the same treatment. This was the part of the ritual Theo tried many times to change, he wasn’t actually planning to go into the ritual circle so there was no reason for him to be anointed but no matter which way he worked it, the gods insisted he needed to be anointed in oils as well.

Shutting his eyes as he pulled his own cloak off his shoulders and let it fall to the ground, he tried to think of anything else but the slide of rough skin and oil across his body as Antonin treated him to the same process of prayers and anointing.

He felt more than heard, the man dropping to his knees in front of him, his mind's eye supplied many scenarios that were not helpful to this situation. Opening his eyes to get away from the erotic images, he was met with a vision that was so much more innocent but no less salacious. In the darkness his eyes looked more grey than blue framed beneath thick, dark lashes. Fingers trailing over Theo’s quivering thighs, Antonin spoke the final invocation as he mesmerised Theo with the desire that sparked through his gaze.

Antonin stood and offered the jar to Theo and together, they outlined each other’s lips with the oil and then spoke as one, “may nothing but truth pass our lips and the gods approve our tribute.”

A bolt of lightning flashed down in the very center of the circle, the smell of ozone permeating the air as Vili and Ve whispered again to Theo, they knew his desires and they approved. Surging forward just as the thunder crashed, their lips connected. For a moment he thought he’d overstepped. He wondered if that final whisper had been his own desires taking control.

Before he could pull away, Antonin enveloped Theo in his arms, pulling him close and swallowed the moan he released as their cocks brushed together. After taking the time to completely plunder Theo’s mouth, Antonin pulled away and rested their foreheads together.

“Mmm, after I finish this ritual, we are going to talk about this. Or at least put our mouths to a lot of good use.”

One more lingering peck was placed on his lips before Antonin sauntered into the middle of the circle to complete the ritual and give his offerings to the gods. The way he moved was beautiful. The sentiment behind each part of the process was evoked in every word and movement. 

The deeper Antonin got into the ritual, the more Theo could feel the sadness lifting from the entire clearing. It was as if a final puzzle piece was being slotted into place as the ritual was brought to an end and the circle closed. 

A soft wind blew through the clearing as Antonin stood and walked back towards Theo. The heat that had been simmering quietly in the beauty of the ritual flared to life as he came close enough for the desire in his eyes to show.

Theo never would have imagined his life would turn out like this when his father told him he would be used to pay for transgressions he had never committed.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos feed my soul!


End file.
